Author Archives: Jefferson Vann
disciples: contributions to the kingdom
Mark 12. Jesus continues to teach his disciples by drawing attention to spiritual realities they are observing in the physical Jerusalem. He points out a poor widow and her offering of two leptas – about 1/64th of a day’s … Continue reading
Posted in discernment, genuineness, giving, kingdom of God, love, money, works
Tagged Mark 12
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disciples: learning about faith
Mark 11. The disciples caught several visible demonstrations in this chapter, and learned about true and false faith from all of them. They saw Jesus curse a fig tree for looking like it might be fruitful, but not … Continue reading
disciples: fairness and the kingdom
Mark 10. The disciples learn a valuable lesson about the kingdom of God in this chapter: it’s not fair. It’s not fair that God intends marriage to last a lifetime. What if you find that you … Continue reading
Posted in destruction in hell, discipleship, grace, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, leadership, suffering
Tagged Mark 10
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disciples: no guts, no glory
Mark 8:27-9:50. The disciples learn something about Jesus in the events described in this section. They learn that Jesus is the Christ, and that he is going to come in glory, so people should listen to him above all others. … Continue reading
Posted in church, commitment, courage, discipleship, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, suffering, the cross
Tagged Mark 8, Mark 9
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disciples: holiness and defilement
Mark 7:1-8:26. Disciples of Christ must seek for true holiness, and not settle for the mere appearance of holiness. Those who were considered super-spiritual in 1st century Judaism were those whose religion was based on ritual, taboos, or ancestral lineage. … Continue reading
Posted in commitment, discipleship, genuineness, holiness, humility, integrity
Tagged Mark 7, Mark 8
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disciples: preaching and hardened hearts
Mark 6. One of the facts of discipleship that we must be aware of is that our ministry will not always be accepted and appreciated. Many hearts are hardened to God’s truth. Even Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth … Continue reading
Posted in commitment, courage, discipleship, evangelism, faithfulness, ministry, missions, obedience, suffering, witness
Tagged Mark 6
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disciples: faith overcomes fear
Mark 4:35-5:43. In this group of stories, the disciples learn that Jesus has great power, and that their faith in him should help them to overcome irrational fear. A great windstorm threatens to capsize the boat where … Continue reading
Posted in courage, deliverance, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, peace, resurrection, sleep of death, trust
Tagged Mark 4, Mark 5
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disciples: privy to the secret
Mark 4:1–34 As Jesus taught beside the sea, the crowds pressed in so tightly that He stepped into a boat and used the shoreline as His sanctuary. Outsiders listened to Him speak, but they could not grasp what He … Continue reading
Posted in church, commitment, discipleship, Jesus Christ, kingdom of God, preparation, truth
Tagged Mark 4
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disciples: sick and social outcasts
Mark 2–3 Jesus didn’t only call fishermen. He also called Levi, son of Alphaeus — the man we know as Matthew. A tax collector. A collaborator with Rome. A man the religious elite would have crossed the street to … Continue reading
Posted in church, commitment, evangelism, grace, Jesus Christ, witness
Tagged Mark 2, Mark 3
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disciples: fishers of men
Mark 1 When Jesus began His ministry in Galilee, He did not search for scholars, strategists, or seasoned leaders. He walked along the shoreline and chose four fishermen — men with calloused hands, weathered faces, and hearts shaped by … Continue reading
Posted in commitment, discipleship, evangelism, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, missions
Tagged Mark 1
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